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RHA unveils new code
Page 6
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• The Road Haulage Association's Green Code of Practice, published last week, has been generally welcomed by operators and official bodies alike. But the licensing authorities have warned that adherence to the code will not necessarily assist an operator in gaining a licence.
The main objectives of the code are that members should: E Make a positive and commercially realistic contribution to improving the environment in which they operate; E Ensure the threat of pollution in any form from their activities is identified, tightly controlled or eliminated; O Minimise their consumption of materials, fuel, energy and water, and to recycle as much as is economically feasible;
El Eliminate or minimise any potentially harmful effects of their activities upon their employees and the public.
The code also contains guidelines as to how these objectives may be achieved under four headings — as vehicle owner, road user, property owner and employer.
RHA director-general Bryan Colley stresses that the guide is not a mandatory code bind ing on members: "We do not think that would be appropriate at this time because we do not know what Mr Patten has in mind for his legislation.
"We also plan to develop and refine it in the light of experience, legislation and any technological advances relating to haulage," he says.
Scottish Licensing Authority Keith Waterhouse says the code is a useful document but 'no commission could give blanket assurance that adher ence to it would assist in obtaining a licence".
His counterpart in the West, MajorGeneral John Carpenter, welcomes the RHA approach "as a very helpful code".
John Stanway, managing director of Alexandra Molyneux Holdings, says the code is well laid out, and his company would try and work the code into its operations.
Friends of the Earth's John Danke says the RHA code is a good start. "1 particularly welcome enforcing the road traffic law — getting drivers to stick to speed limits." He was worried by the recommendation that drivers should use local knowledge to avoid congesting roads as this may cause 'rat runs'.